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#Post#: 126--------------------------------------------------
LVT upended on sea wall.
By: TRGodwin Date: May 23, 2020, 11:31 am
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I received some information on a PFC Charles Lilly who was at
Tarawa with E-2-2 in the first wave. He wrote :
“We were attempting to climb over the wall with our tractor when
hell broke loose. The driver was killed as machine gun bullets
sprayed the front end and an explosion, probably a 40mm shell,
blew off the right track. With our tractor disabled , a Jap
machine gunner on the other side lobbed three hand grenades into
the tractor before we could get out.”
The survivors scrambled out and took refuge on the ocean side of
the seawall and remained there fighting for two days “until
reinforcements flanked the Japs.”
Communicated info led me to believe this could be LVT-1 #44.
Especially the two days and flanking maneuver which I think
could be 1/8 moving west. One counterpoint to #44 being Lilly’s
is the ‘right track” being blown off. I don’t see that in the
pictures; at least that which is visible.
I thought I had found only one Amtrac upended on the wall on R2
in the aerials and that was LVT-1 #44 on the far right of Red2.
As I looked more closely, I found one near the middle of R2.
Maybe there are more but don't see it.
Anyone have any information on this Amtrac pointed out in the
link? Best to all….
HTML https://drive.google.com/file/d/1de8UpjGSaec61Li0v2lVpmaykG3HtwEb/view?usp=sharing
#Post#: 128--------------------------------------------------
Re: LVT upended on sea wall.
By: Kim Harrison Date: May 23, 2020, 4:15 pm
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Mmmm Al would probably have a clue.
Yes, zooming in, i see the area around LVT?, is quite sandy,
etc, only pics i have of LVTs that i dont know where on beach
they are...
Pic 1 - Note sandy area ( my gut says R3, but hey maybe R2 in
sandy area
HTML https://i.ibb.co/YWmBSXY/15768396-7224255-Battle-scene-A-Marine-wearing-a-helmet-sits-on-Red-Beach-2-one-o-a-14-1562607796163.jpg
HTML https://ibb.co/mBk5K01
Pic 2 - Again unsure where ?
HTML https://i.ibb.co/8z3zWYq/549968-352044174832112-1872096397-n.jpg
HTML https://imgbb.com/
Most pics with LVTs Al can help, maybe he can help solve all. No
pressure Al, lol
Much Respect Everybody
#Post#: 129--------------------------------------------------
Re: LVT upended on sea wall.
By: gunnygp Date: May 24, 2020, 12:38 pm
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Your phots show #45 at the seawall on Red Three. The
photographer is in the shadow of LVT-1 #25, Maj. Shoup's CP.
LVT-1 #10 was operational at the end of the fighting and seen
towing a 105mm Howitzer off of a Higgins boat at the reef on Red
Two. The photo showing #10 on the wall is confusing. I know that
the 105s never got into the fight and there is a pic showing two
of them on Red Two waiting for orders it seems.
#Post#: 130--------------------------------------------------
Re: LVT upended on sea wall.
By: TRGodwin Date: May 25, 2020, 2:01 pm
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I've seen LVT-1 #10 towing the howitzer and excluded that one.
Knew the others were R3. Picture looking the other direction
with LVT-1 #45 in link below. Other than the salvage area and
those at the western boundary of R2/R1 (44, 49), I'm not sure
I've seen many pics on R2 of disabled LVTs.
A great Memorial Day to all...
HTML https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cZnRCOewGw1BR7TGFhb3yHbqSyHMsyXZ/view?usp=sharing
#Post#: 131--------------------------------------------------
Re: LVT upended on sea wall.
By: aaguerre Date: May 26, 2020, 8:08 pm
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Hello Fellas,
Sorry for the long delay.
First of all the photos Kim posted (please tell me how you
managed to post them) YES #45 is on Red-3 but its not as near to
the pier as you may think.
The second photo with LVT #10 on RED-2's seawall. This is
confusing without knowing the date the photo was taken. Tom's
aerial photo of Red-2 with an unknown LVT on the seawall, might
be #10, stuck there after the 1st wave landing. But if this is
the LVT that Lilly landed in, then the right tracks would have
been blown off and repair parts were not available during this
battle, the track would have remained unrepaired. The battle
damage report on #10 only shows a few machine gun holes.
Looking at the seawall photo of #10, there is very little
"battle debris" around #10 (no packs, ammo boxes, bodies) #10 is
seen landing elements of 10th Marines with thier 105mm howitzer
from a higgins boat from the LaSalle (AP 102) The 10th Mar/4 Bat
(105mm howitzers) did not land until the morning of the 23rd of
Nov (D+3).
How did #10 got on the seawall ..It is possible that #10 landed
on the first wave on the seawall and was abandoned when the crew
was killed, after the fighting moved inland, a substitute crew
took over, removed it form the wall and put it back in service
but... with the lack of battle debris around it, a bulldozer
near it and the one marine under with a second standing guard
(or making jokes) on the seawall make me think the driver
accidentally got it stuck!
Al
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